ALPINE A290. Alpine has presented a show car that prefigures 85% of its future 100% electric city car, the A290, which will be marketed in the second half of 2024.
Six years after the release of the second generation of the iconic A110, pride of the brand in the 70s, Alpine presented on Tuesday May 9 in Bristol (England) the beta version of its future 100% electric city car expected on the market automotive next year. This is the first of three models from Alpine’s “Dream Garage”, the name of its new range which will then be completed by a Crossover GT and a replacement for the current A110, a neo-retro version of the berlinetta. According to the manufacturer, this show car named Alpine A290_β is 85% faithful to the final model which will be produced very soon in Douai, in Hauts-de-France.
The first pictures of the Alpine A290
At first glance, no doubt, this show car is inspired by the future Renault 5, the star city car of the diamond brand that we should see on the roads in early 2024. But the A290 beta reveals a more spectacular profile. Its dimensions – quite short (4m05) but wide (1m85) with a short wheelbase and wider tracks – give it a compact and sporty appearance. As on the A110, the front of the car is devoid of a grille and has a V-shape with a windshield that extends like an arrow coming to lodge quite far in the hood. The front end is bright with its four rectangular headlights marked with a cross, a signature of the Diepp brand’s rally cars of yesteryear. The large air inlets in the front bumper favoring aerodynamics and the refined mirrors reinforce the sporty side of this A290 beta. At the rear, this presentation vehicle offers three vertical lights, the third in the central position is reminiscent of that of Formula 1 in which Alpine has been a player since 2021. On the rear bumper, two “turbines” located at the ends give the illusion of exhaust pipes, but the future city car from Alpine will be 100% electric!
What are the differences between the Alpine A290 β and the new A290?
Presented in a 3-door version at Bristol, it will be offered with 5 doors when it goes on sale in 2024. On the sides, it’s hard not to have your eyes drawn to the wheels. The 20-inch aluminum rims, which should be reduced to 19 on the standard version, feature a large square cutout that contrasts with the rounded shape of the wheel. Their central nut is a new nod to the world of Formula 1. If the exterior of this beta version will probably be very close to the final version, this will certainly be much less the case for its interior. Alpine was largely inspired by the world of Formula 1 for the interior of its show car, with in particular this bucket seat in the central position which is reminiscent of a single-seater. Two other seats, in a rearward position, nevertheless surround the driver’s seat. The rectangular-shaped steering wheel is in line with the manufacturer’s philosophy of presenting a dynamic and sporty model. This flywheel has an “overtake” button that will deliver more power to the motor over a given time (about 10 seconds). A final allusion to Formula 1 (DRS) which should be one of the few interior elements to be retained in the production A290.
Which engine and which range?
Regarding the power and autonomy of the future A290, Alpine prefers to keep it a secret for the moment. But according to information from largus.frthe production model would be equipped with the 218 hp engine of the Mégane E-Tech and a 52 kWh Envision battery.
Price of the future A290
As with the power and battery life, but also the weight of Alpine’s future sports city car, another unknown remains: the price of the A290. To know it, it will still be necessary to show a little patience. The release of the new electric Renault R5 at the start of the school year, a model of which it will be the sports variant, should give an idea of its future price.